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The Great Waste

Aron C. MasonEditor in Chief

here is probably nothing related to government that is advocated more and practiced less than economy. ... The party that is out is always bewailing the extravagance and criminal wastefulness of the party that is in. And when the people show themselves credulous enough to entrust the critics with power, the only difference likely to be seen is in an increased extravagance and waste. The fervor of the promise is usually found to be in inverse ratio to the amount of performance that is vouchsafed.

 Samuel W. McCall in The Atlantic Monthly, 1921

If you were asked to name an example of government waste of taxpayer money, what would it be? $600 toilet seats? Spending millions to find out why certain dogs hang with other dogs? Hundreds of thousands in research grants to gather and study cow flatulence?

According to a recent survey by Money magazine, Americans feel that a top priority for the president is reducing government waste so the budget someday may be balanced.

What may come as a surprise to you is that over the last 30 years, hundreds of billions of dollars have been appropriated by federal, state and local governments to fund the psychiatric industry in hopes that these funds would improve troubled areas in society.

During this period, psychiatrists promised they would improve the education of our children, help in the treatment and prevention of drug abuse and assist in the elimination of crime and violence. All they needed, they said, was enough money. Through various government programs, they got it.

During this period, psychiatrists promised they would improve the education of our children, help in the treatment and prevention of drug abuse and assist in the elimination of crime and violence. All they needed, they said, was enough money. Through various government programs, they got it.

And what dividends do psychiatrists offer in return for this massive investment of taxpayer dollars?

Educational collapse, with high school Scholastic Aptitude Test scores steadily plummeting since 1963.

A nationwide explosion in drug abuse.

Sharply rising trends of violence and crime, with costs of the criminal justice system soaring out of sight.

Steadily declining morality.

Do the billions in tax dollars given to the psychiatric industry qualify as an example of government waste? By comparison, a $600 toilet seat is frugal indeed. At least it has a legitimate use.

According to a recent survey by Money magazine, Americans feel that a top priority for the president is reducing government waste so the budget someday may be balanced.

In this edition, Freedom probes the subject of psychiatric waste of government funds.

The facts have convinced us that congressional and criminal investigations into the squandering of taxpayer money, and related fraud, are overdue.

In a longer view, expenditures to psychiatry have been labeled even worse than waste because the money is not only being spent unwisely, it helps to produce results destructive to society itself.

The slashing of psychiatric programs, such as those run by the National Institute of Mental Health, can become a priority. After all, no one should be expected to pay for the destruction of their own future.

Another area wherein government waste persists is the unsuccessful and highly expensive efforts to eradicate the drug problem. As part of Freedoms continuing investigation into this subject, we invited the presidential candidates to present their ideas on what they feel should be done about it. Youll find their thoughts in our new department, Discussion. In publishing these views, our hope is to encourage honest examination and widespread discussion of them.